“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” 

-John Lennon

 

As mentioned in the introductory chapter of my ordination paper, “Called to Dance: Introduction and Spiritual Journey”, a call to ministry is more than a personal desire. It is an ongoing process of discernment and accountability in covenantal partnership with one’s community of faith and with the authorizing body of the UCC Association where the individual’s home church is located. Committees on Ministry are the authorizing and supervisory councils for Authorized Ministers in the UCC. Committees on Ministry are another layer of communal discernment that collectively discern “the wisdom of the Spirit, the call of Christ, and the mission of God, on behalf of the United Church of Christ.” Committees on Ministry also administer oversight of ministers as well as provide resources and guidance for ministers to strengthen their ministries. 

 

Members in Discernment and their community of discernment partners, including Committees on Ministry, use the “Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers” to discern, develop, and guide their leadership in ministry. The Marks are a development tool that highlight the “complex combination of talents, understandings, and skills needed for ministerial leadership in the United Church of Christ.” Those who hold ministerial standing, including Lay and Ordained Ministers, in the UCC are accountable to the Marks. 

 

The United Church of Christ believes in the Priesthood of all believers in which God calls all Christians to ministry. Just as in the discernment process, all Christians are called to be in covenantal partnership with their community to find the place where their desire and skills meets the needs of the community, to serve God. This ministry can be lived out in one’s daily life and does not necessarily require special training or education beyond what is available in the faith community. The UCC also recognizes another call for “representative servant leaders to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” These servant leaders are called to Lay or Ordained Ministry. 

 

Lay and Ordained Ministers may look similar in the UCC, but there are some significant differences. Lay Ministers are servant leaders whose standing is temporary and they serve a specific congregation, with specific roles. Lay Ministers may be in the discernment process toward Ordination, but do not have to be. Ordained Ministers make a life-long commitment to “God in Jesus Christ and to the Church, relying on the Holy Spirit.” They are authorized to serve and to lead on behalf of the UCC and the Church Universal, receive their authority from the Triune God, and are covenantally accountable to both God and the people. Ordained Ministers are expected to provide holistic ministry, to preach and teach scripture and the gospel, to perform the sacraments of the church, provide spiritual and pastoral care to those in their community, and provide faithful and effective leadership. Although a specific educational track is no longer required for Ordained Ministers, there is accountability to higher education, skills, wisdom, and practice. 

 

Building Transformational Leadership

Using the UCC value of Priesthood of all believers, I lead my faith community using a community development model of leadership. I spent 16 years working in Christian Community Development where Leadership Development and Listening to the Community are core values. One motto I strive to live by is “never go anywhere alone”. This means that I take members of my faith community, usually students, with me to as many meetings and events as possible. We table on campus together, visit local organizations and churches together, and take lunch meetings together. I also ensure that they are present, heard, and have equal power in spaces where decisions are being made about them. We recently redeveloped the structure of the Board of Directors of Luther House and now have three student representatives on the board. Finally, instead of speaking for my community, I create platforms for them to speak for themselves. Students are invited to lead Wednesday evening worship and spiritual practices on topics of their interest; they lead theological discussions on campus; and we practice a co-preaching method of sermons called “Refractions”.  The students in our faith community are developing their own theological imagination, practicing theological reflection, and gaining leadership skills such as public speaking and group facilitation. Not only are they capable of leading many aspects of the ministry, they frequently do lead. 

 

Caring for All Creation:

Shared-Leadership as Self-Care

Authorized Ministers in the UCC are accountable to The Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers, however that does not mean that all ministers are expected to be sufficient at all of the Marks. Instead the Marks are used to help Ministers identify and develop their strengths as well as their growing edges. A growing edge for myself is around the Mark of Caring for All Creation. Under this Mark is the subtitle “Practicing self-care and life balance”. I was surprised and touched to find myself listed under this Mark as a part of creation that should be cared for. 

 

I am a mother, wife of a partner who has mental illness, a part-time homeschooler, a lay pastor, a student, a homemaker, and so much more. I recently graduated with a Master of Theological Studies and Clinical Pastoral Education. I am accustomed to performing at my maximum capacity. However, I am intentionally leaning out of accomplishment mode and into self-care and longevity. It is time for me to take seriously and develop this growing edge of self-care and life balance.

 

One of the ways that I intend to develop self-care is to continue to invest in building transformational leadership in my ministry. Luther House does have an active Board of Directors who help with the oversight and guidance of the ministry and I am thankful for them. However, I am the only paid staff of the ministry. I have found that my community development style of leadership has nurtured a sense of shared-ownership within the community. I intend to further develop this sense of shared-ownership by developing a pastoral team of leaders within the community. This team approach will continue to develop leaders in our community, help students discern their call to ministry, and bring more balance into my daily responsibilities. I look forward to growing in this Mark of Effective and Faithful Ministers. 

 

Working Together for Justice and Mercy

Just as all Ministers will have growing edges concerning the Marks of Ministry, some of the Marks will emerge as passions for individuals. I am particularly passionate about putting my faith into action and leading my community in advocacy, activism, and community organizing around justice issues. At First Congregational UCC, I partnered with the children and youth to build an Anti-Racist Bible Study and Black Lives Matter Ally Group. At Luther House we publicly witness to God’s love for the Queer Community and teach Queer Theology. We preach at local churches about Queer Theology and Anti-Racism. We advocate for asylum seekers and fight for immigrant rights. We learn about racial equity and practice imaging God in a multitude of ways. We alternate between action and contemplation as a method of Loving God and Loving our Neighbors.  

 

Working together for justice and mercy is a passion in my ministry but it is also a growing edge. As an educated, middle-class, white woman, I will always have much to learn. If I am to take seriously the “together” element of the Mark, I must be willing to accept criticism from my peers, to use and sacrifice my privilege for others, to learn about the history of my family and change the future. Cornel West says that “Justice is what love looks like in public.” I agree with Dr. West and in my experience I’ve found that justice is what God’s love looks like in public. I intend to walk with God and my community to continue to share that love with others throughout my life-long commitment to God, the church, and the people.